Under the Stars
by Amilya Eclair Farron
Summary: Ishizu and Rishid decide to take Marik on a camping trip to help him overcome the nightmare of what happened during Battle City. Will he enjoy it? : Requested by KoK :


Ta-da! Here's the two out of two missing requested oneshots you had asked for KoK!

I'm terribly sorry it took _this_ long on getting them up. Wish I had looked at my mother's flashdrive sooner before her work started dishing out dozens of stuff. But finally she let me examine her flashdrive today and I am most pleased that both missing requested oneshots were there. Again, so sorry that it's late!

But I do hope you enjoy this better then the hurt/comfort! (Which I _do_ plan to redo someday ((soon))

Alright, everyone, this is my first Ishtar oneshot I've ever written really. I write small, very small, drabbles of the Ishtar siblings, but that's all. It took me forever to write, but I like the outcome of this. And I thank KoK for helping me get a better understanding of the three. Hopefully they seem in character. (Thanks again, KoK, and I'm sorry it's so late!)

On another note: I have no idea if there's even a camping site _close_ to Domino City, so use your imagination that there is a forest there or something. And I'm not a hundred percent sure if Rishid would continue to call Marik "Master Marik" and Ishizu "Lady Ishizu" (I don't remember those seasons clearly – the only ones I _do_ remember well, is, of course, the fourth season) so I have him simply go by their names without those titles (he is part of their family after, yes?)

I should stop with this long author's note and let you all get to the story.

Disclaimer: I never owned _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ to begin with. Never, I say. Positively _never_; I just enjoy writing about it.

Happy reading, readers!

* * *

_Under the Stars_

* * *

"It's cold." Marik stated plain as day as he stepped out of the tent previous slept in. He hadn't really expected his sister, of all people, to think of this. But it wasn't like he was going to argue with it. Not after all that he did to his family: shaming them, hurting them. In all sense he deserved this 'punishment' (he called it that in his mind) when in actuality his siblings were doing it to simply help him: to get closer as a family again.

Ishizu, who had previously been focusing on her task (which was cooking breakfast over the campfire), greeted him with a gentle laugh; he seemed like a plump turkey ready for devouring.

"Marik how many sweaters were you able to fit this time?"

"Eight," He blinked as he hugged himself to keep as much warmth as he could. To this the woman gave a light shake of her head, a soft amused smile on her face, redirecting her attention back to the fire. "Where's Rishid?"

"He went to retrieve more firewood."

"… are you sure we're even allowed to have a fire going?"

"I made certain to thoroughly examine what we are and aren't allowed to do."

Lavender eyes gave away the feeling of doubt, but he kept his mouth shut. Rishid had been there with Ishizu at the time while going over the fine print of renting this pleasant spot for the weekend (Marik had been moping around the hotel – though he did not call it 'moping') and helped plan all the preparations. It was quite a surprise when they had turned off on the wrong road towards the airport and that's when they informed them of this 'family outing'.

But if Ishizu said they were allowed to have a fire, then they must be allowed to have a fire.

Still the benefit of doubt plagued his mind.

Once Rishid had returned, they had eaten in mostly silence. Ishizu would occasionally bring up a light topic to talk about, but Marik didn't keep in the conversation for long. The two older Ishtar's exchanged glances.

* * *

Afterwards, once they had cleaned, Ishizu had explained what was planned for the rest of the day. Which to Marik didn't sound all too bad and yet none too pleasing either. Fishing wasn't much in his way of enjoyment or entertainment, but apparently they needed to catch _something_ for later tonight's meal. He made sure to grab a coat that seemed waterproof before they started the trail down to the river.

"Are you sure there's fish in this river?" Marik questioned eyeing his sister suspiciously; she nodded lightly in response.

"Patience, Marik, patience." She reminded him as she stood on the grass further back. He and Rishid were balancing on the rocks, fishing poles casted, waiting to see who would get the first bite. "You mustn't be too tense."

"I'm pretty sure that has nothing to do with the fish not biting." He pointed out and felt the icy air pick up; wind blowing through their hairs and through their skin.

"Should we try another spot?" Rishid asked as he began to reel in.

Ishizu had started to open her mouth before an 'Ack!' sounded and they both turned to find Marik struggling with his fishing rod. Quickly Rishid went to his side (after setting down his and making sure it wouldn't suddenly tumble from its spot) to offer any type of help.

"What does it look like, Rishid!?"

"Here, try this technique."

"It's not working!"

"Don't pull too quickly, Marik, otherwise you may lose him."

"Careful, Marik, don't lose your balance!"

"Stupid, mammal, stop struggling!"

"Um… Marik, a fish isn't a mammal."

"Then it's a stupid reptile!"

"… Marik… a fish is neither."

"... stupid fish…!"

After much struggle they were able to reel the line back in: only to discover it was never a fish he had caught to begin with. Instead it was simply, much to Marik's dismay, a rock. Apparently the hook must have been caught underneath it just right, Rishid had explained, that when Marik had tried to reel in it was believed to be a fish he had caught.

He received a light pat on the head before they went to try and find another spot to see about catching something. Although Marik was still glum over the matter, he recovered once he finally did end up catching an actual fish.

"Ha! Now who's victorious?" He lifted his eyebrows at it while it flopped about on the loose rocks.

"Marik are you taunting the fish?" Rishid asked as Ishizu seemed to be muffling her laughter.

The younger Ishtar pulled a face and shook his head.

"No… that's absurd! Taunting a fish… who ever heard of such a thing?"

"That's what it looked it."

"For the last time I was _not_ taunting the fish, Rishid!" Marik huffed as he went back to his fishing pole and started to re-bait it. The older man let out an inaudible chuckle and went back to reeling in the line slowly as Marik casted out. "… hmph, taunting the fish… that certainly _is_ absurd."

"That's what it seemed like you were doing, Marik."

"… why would I want to taunt a fish to begin with?"

Rishid gave a light shrug of his shoulders. Marik eyed his sister wearily in the background as she continued to muffle her fit of _giggles_ which seemed hard to believe. He never recalled his sister giggling before and it was an interesting sight to behold.

"… so what if I was taunting the fish?"

That's when Ishizu and Rishid both sounded out their inner laughter, filling the air with its sweet loudness in the peaceful surrounding without a care.

And Marik found himself bellowing a laugh of his own.

* * *

"Let us hope no bears decide to visit us from the remaining smell of fish."

"What?" Marik bolted up right, having been laying flat against the fallen log, startled eyes watching his sister throw a few more pieces of wood into the small fire. There had been no mention of _bears_. Hadn't Rishid told him it was a safe campground? Then again, safe could have also meant no one had gotten injured by prowling bears – yet.

"Relax, Marik, I'm just teasing you."

Ishizu? Teasing? That didn't seem right.

"I assure you, Marik, there isn't anything to fear." Rishid exited his tent, having changed into his sleeping clothes before seating himself on the log angled to be semi-next to the one Marik was lying on. "But it never hurts to take precautions."

"Is that why we're always cleaning our plates and making to rid the remains by digging a hole, away, from the camp before burying it?"

"Yes."

"But there are bears here?"

"Yes."

"Hmm…" He returned to his position, using his arm as a pillow and staring up at the visible stars in the sky. The branches swayed from the sweet breeze and he blew a puff of air from his mouth. He still wore plenty of sweaters, still uneasy with the cold weather, but seemed to be dealing with it better then he previously had.

He blinked a few times, believing he had seen a shooting star, but wasn't exactly sure. He dismissed the thought, knowing if it really was it was too late to follow the tradition of 'see a shooting star, make a quick wish' and continued to 'connect the dots' above.

Eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to be outlining wacky looking lines together or an image that deemed no sense at all.

"Something wrong, Marik?"

"N'ah."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded once and turned his head to see what his siblings were up to; he discovered they had joined him in the star gazing as well. Turning back his attention the open night sky, the Ishtar's remained in silence as they studied the stars.

None of the three were sure on how late it had gotten before finally agreeing it was time for bed. Ishizu had been the first one to retreat into her small, icy blue (which he wondered if it had to do with a certain CEO) tent and felt like smacking himself in the forehead for even thinking that.

There was positively no way that would _ever_ happen.

Was there?

Yawning, Marik zipped up the entrance to his tent and flopped onto the air mattress. His mind replayed the day's events and he couldn't stop the smile blooming itself on his face. This wasn't as bad as he thought it was. It was actually… fun.

Maybe this wasn't such a punishment after all.

But he still preferred to not have the chilly air.

* * *

"We really should do that again."

Ishizu and Rishid both blinked in slight surprise, having paused in step, staring at Marik's retreating back.

They had just made it to the airport, with Marik not saying a word on the drive here after packing up, and they figured he was back to moping, having remembered the nightmare events of the Battle City tournament and they both had feared he would push himself away once again.

"Although let's make sure it's warmer before we place a campsite on hold." He mused stretching his arms over his head. "I really don't want to be struggling with trying to wear eight sweaters again."

He paused in his walk and turned his head back, sensing that they were no longer walking beside him now.

"Rishid, Ishizu, are you alright?"

His older brother gave a nod of his head and Ishizu murmured a soft 'yes'; both still in disbelief at what he was saying. It was a pleasant and peaceful vacation, if one would call that, but it still seemed as if he didn't truly enjoy the moments. Considering how cold he would be or how he easily got frustrated when the fish hadn't started biting right away (again).

"Well then what's the hold up?" Marik hummed but a smile lit up his face.

Both, once more, blinked before smiles of their own graced their features and they started forward to join the younger Ishtar.

Perhaps everything would turn out alright once more.

After spending time under the stars.

* * *

Here you go, KoK! I hope this was better then the hurt/comfort oneshot. I'm _extremely_ sorry it too forever to get these requested oneshots uploaded!

I gain a better understand of Marik (I think) but Ishizu seems… off. And as you can tell, I couldn't help but have mention a bit of Trustshipping. But I think this came out better then the hurt/comfort oneshot I did. Even though I need more practice with Ishizu. And Rishid… and a little more with Marik… but I still think I'll stick with the bikers.

Maybe I'll be writing a Trustshipping oneshot too. When I had been proofreading this, I felt suddenly inspired to write one. We'll see what the future holds, hm?

Thanks for reading!


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